A June Wedding

Ideas for a summer wedding

The summer solstice arrived this weekend, which means more time outdoors in warm breezes surrounded by light, airy colors and long twilight afternoons.  For some reason, being a newly wed has drawn me to photos of wedding themes more than ever before.   There isn't a pretty dress, flower arrangement or cake swathed in white butter cream that gets by me these days.  I'm thinking of making a petite wedding cake just to celebrate six months of marriage, which is really just an excuse to make (and eat) a cake.  After all, "a party without a cake is just a meeting," according to Julia Child.  I'm not sure if she really said that, but I like to think so.  

One pretty image leads to the next and suddenly I'm imagining a small wedding reception in a cool leafy space by a turquoise pool.  Bridesmaids in silk satin and tulle float from table to table and a small group of guests nibble cheese straws and sip cold minted pea soup.  The main course includes poached salmon with cucumber sauce, lightly sauteed spring vegetables and jasmine rice.  Dessert includes coconut lime sorbet and wedding cake.  For a wedding favor, guests would receive small white boxes of chocolate nonpareils, tied with a pale blue ribbon.

The thoughts alone are enough to transport me from Monday morning to Saturday afternoon.  Now I just need to figure out what to do on Tuesday.

Recent Travels

Things have been busy here between our honeymoon in  Bermuda, a trip to Seattle to visit friends and work on the house.  It's been a fun spring (except for the New England weather) and we've gotten a lot accomplished at the house. We've been painting and I've been redoing the bedroom and choosing new furniture and fabrics for the living room--more about that in future posts.
 

Although our travels started in Bermuda, I couldn't help but lead with this photo I took of a Camellia in bloom at the Japanese Tea Garden at the Washington Park Arboretum. More about that below.

Jon and I honeymooned in Bermuda in early April and it was everything we imagined it would be.  We stayed at a tennis club on the island and I took this photo from our table on the terrace where we had lunch everyday.  It's paradise, if you ask  me. Jon and I want to visit Bermuda once a year, if possible.  It's only a one and one-half hour flight from Boston, which makes it an ideal get-away.

In mid-April we flew to Seattle, Washington to visit friends.  During our stay, our friends took us to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Tulips of all colors are grown in these vast fields and then harvested and shipped to stores throughout the country.  The Cascade Mountains are in the background.

The festival features an extensive garden planted with thousands of tulips in many varieties and colors.  Wherever I looked there was a blanket of color. This was a welcome sight after a long gray winter in Boston.

I was completely awed by the color combinations. 

 

Dancing flames of red, pink, and orange.  It was hard to take a bad photo in this garden.  We were surrounded by beauty.

 

Pretty ruffles of white petals are accented by soft-pink blooms and bright blue Muscari.

The sea of color goes on and on...

This tulip reminds me of a peony, with its broad, rounded petals and variegated pink and white color.

I couldn't get enough of the pink tulips...

...especially when paired with a hot orange variety.  Pink and orange is a spectacular combination.

 

Cool, quiet purple and green.

 

More white ruffles

How about lavender and bright yellow for a change?

A mass of traditional yellow and red tulips against a weathered fence

More tulips. Thanks for hanging in there with me--I'm almost done.



 

 This white tulip with unusual furled petals is "Liberstar" and it's one of my favorites.

 

The next day, we visited the Japanese Tea Garden at the Washington Park Arboretum.  I only have a few photos of the garden as they didn't turn out very well.  It's the most peaceful and beautiful garden I've visited.

I like the contrast of the purple Azalea against the gray-green mossy ground and trees.



I took all the photos on my iphone and for some reason, the photos of the Japanese garden all look muted.   

 

And lastly, our friends took this photo of Jon and me at the garden.  Very Zen, don't you think? I realize that's Chinese, not Japanese, but I think you get the idea.

 

Thanks for following along.  No more tourist photos next time--I promise.

 

 

Thoughts of Spring



Source

 Here's to the first day of the Daylight Saving Time.  Spring is just around the corner.  

The Last Roses

While walking around Beacon Hill on Saturday, Jon and I noticed climbing roses against a brick house. It was surprising to see roses on a cold fall day and I liked the contrast of bright, white flowers and shiny leaves against old red brick. 

Happy Thanksgiving and thank you, as always, for reading my blog!

Sunshine and Light

Image Source

It has been rainy and cold all week in Boston.  We are all desperately craving sunshine and warmth. The only place I can find it now is in this photo. My day is brighter just from looking at these pink ranunculus.

Happy Weekend!

~ D ~

The Old With The New

An old rose on a modern trellis

 I'm sorry to say that I don't remember where or when I found this image (other than it was pre-blog).  The contrast between the old rose, weathered wood, and stainless steel is interesting and appealing, I think.   

My neighborhood garden tour is on Saturday and I'm hoping to take some good photos to share with you. 

In the meantime, Happy Weekend!

Small Garden Inspiration

Source: Growth-Earth

Spring seems to have sprung (fingers crossed), so I'm turning my attention outdoors.  Although my space is small, I plan to grow cherry tomatoes and herbs in containers this year.  The terrace is paved so a full-blown flower garden is impossible, but wouldn't this garden look terrific in a small yard?

It seems easy to maintain and includes only three plants:  boxwood, lavender-blue cat mint and white roses.  I'm wondering if it would work with containers, using small container roses.  The center boxwood is obviously in a container and I already have an old French steel wash tub for the center. Cat mint and boxwood are easily grown in containers.

If you're a gardening enthusiast, I'd appreciate your advice and suggestions about this idea.   Thanks!

Boxwood & Lavender

This is the perfect low maintenance garden, although the boxwood requires occasional pruning to keep its shape.  The lavender provides some softness against the structured boxwood, planters, and stone.  I wish I could duplicate this look in my own yard (especially now that the snow is gone).

UPDATE:  This lovely garden was designed by Steven Kelvin Gardens.  Click here for the website.

L'Art du Bouquet

This is one of the most beautiful arrangements of roses I've seen and I felt compelled to share it.  The bouquet was created by Laura Dowling, a Parisian-trained floral designer.  Visit her website, click each photo and I guarantee you'll feel like it's your own Fourth of July fireworks display.  Just for you. Right there on your monitor. 

Photo by Katie Stoops.

Beacon Hill Decorates for Christmas

The nearby neighborhood of Beacon Hill in Boston is charming anytime of year, but I especially like to walk there during the holidays.  Many of the doors and window boxes of these historic homes are beautifully adorned for the holidays and a walk around the neighborhood is a good opportunity for inspiration and ideas.

This pale blue door is my favorite. Most of the doors on Beacon Hill are painted glossy black.  The blue is a nice change and really sets off the evergreen wreath and miniature trees.

This striking facade with a statue of a reclining woman is very unexpected.  The soft greens and grays of the plants in the window box complement the gray trim of the window frame.  She looks to me like she is waiting for someone to return.

Here's a window box filled with a classic combination of evergreen, ivy, pine cones and red berries.

An unusual, but pretty yellow door with traditional swag and wreath.  A classic gas light is just to the left, with an equally classic Boston "no parking" sign.

Another black door. This time with a contemporary container and traditional window box fillers arranged in a modern style. 

A pretty window box filled with a variety of greenery

A vibrant cherry-red door

I was taken with this gray brick house with gray shutters and a bare tree.  It's difficult to see, but the homeowner has hung gilded wreaths on the windows inside the home.



Plantings don't have to be elaborate.  Here, simple boxwood and variegated ivy in black containers are all that's needed to enhance this simple entry way.

A closer view

This box has leathery magnolia leaves tucked behind miniature evergreens. The magnolia leaves provide an interesting contrast to the lacy ornamental kale at the front of the box.  I like the variety of textures used here.

Another simple and striking arrangement.  Evergreens and ornamental kale with pink highlights.

This entryway caught my attention from down the street.  A beautiful stained (instead of painted) door is paired with tall copper planters and small concrete containers.  I'm not sure what the green vine-like plant is, but it's a nice alternative to evergreens.

A closer view of the copper planter


Colorful fall gourds and kale.  They still look fresh, even in December.

I hope this post has given you some ideas for decorating the exterior of your home for the holidays.   Even if you don't have an elaborate home or your own gardener (I have neither!), a little greenery and color can go a long way to brighten the outside of your home during the winter months.

All photos by me and my trusty Olympus D-520 Zoom camera

Fade to Pink

My own photos 
Ocean Drive in Kennebunkport, Maine

As summer gradually gives way to fall and the sun sets earlier every day, the clouds reflect soft shades of pink much like this hydrangea.  Another admirer said that the blooms are white all summer and turn pink as the August nights become cooler. Maybe it's Mother Nature's reminder to savor these last few weeks of summer.

Post-Haste: Boxwood Hedge

Image via Domino Magazine. Designer, Stephen Shubel

When I first saw this photo, I had no idea that this boxwood hedge is actually artificial boxwood. I think it looks great and wouldn't hesitate to use in it in a small space such as a concrete patio or a rooftop deck (properly secured!). In this case, the hedge hides an ugly chain link fence. What do you think? Is artificial greenery the way to go if you can't have a garden or is it best to forgo if you can't have the real thing?

Happy Weekend

Hotel Verhaegen, Zoom Interiors

It's raining here today, but it's a good day to get some things done. I've been behind in my posting and hope to catch up this weekend.

Have a great weekend, everyone and Happy Mothers Day to all Moms!